Loss of Salvation Question

[Winken]

I asked this:
"What do you do with the fact that the gifts of God are irrevocable, and that eternal life is a gift of God?

Short of simply denying what the Scripture says, please clarify."

Excuse me, but how is my very relevant question being "contentious"? Please explain.


In order to "listen to what Scriptures say", then please quote actual verses, not just make generalized comments about verses that you might be aware of.


Hardly one single verse.

If there is any interest (not sure of at this point), consider these 6 points:

First, Paul described both justification (Rom 3:24, 5:15,16,17) and eternal life (Rom 6:23) as gifts of God. Then he wrote Rom 11:29 - the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable. Since he had already described what he meant by "gifts of God", there was no reason for him to specifically list what he meant by "gifts of God".

3:24 - being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus
6:23 - For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
11:29 - for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.

Second, every believer is sealed with the Holy Spirit when they believe (Eph 1:13). This sealing is a pledge with a view to the redemption of God's own possession (believers - Eph 1:14).

And, this sealing is for the day of redemption (Eph 4:30).

1:13 - In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise
1:14 - who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.
4:30 - Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

Third, Jesus tells us WHEN one HAS eternal life; when they believe (Jn 5:24). Then, He tells us that those to whom He gives eternal life WILL NEVER PERISH (Jn 10:28).

5:24 - “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.
10:28 - and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.

Fourth, Paul stated that regardless of the believer's lifestyle, or "whether we are asleep or awake, we will be together with Him" in 1 Thess 5:10. The context begins in v.4 and contrasts believers with unbelievers, or day with night, or being alert with being asleep or sober with drunkeness.

4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief;
5 for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness;
6 so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober.
7 For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night.
8 But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.
9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
10 who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him.

Analysis of this passage:
v.4 tells us that believers are "not in darkness"
v.5 differentiates believers (sons of light and day) with unbelievers (not of night or darkness).
v.6 encourages believers to not live like unbelievers (not sleep as others do, but be alert and sober).
v.7 describes unbelievers and what they do.
v.8 explains that "since we are of the day" (believers), we need to be sober.
v.9 explains the destiny of the believer - not destined for wrath but for salvation
v.10 says that regardless of the believer's lifestyle, we will live together with Him.

Fifth, Jesus noted how people are saved in John 10:9 - “I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.

The Greek word for “enters” is in the aorist tense, meaning “in a point in time”, as opposed to the present tense, which those who believe in loss of salvation only emphasize. Iow, one must continue to believe in order to continue to have eternal life. Further, Paul used the aorist tense in his answer to the jailer in Acts 16:31, and Jesus used the aorist tense in Luke 8:12 “believed and be saved”.

Sixth, there are absolutely zero verses that warn us plainly that one can lose their salvation.

5 of these 6 points include passages from Scripture.

If none of these passages teach eternal security, then just what do they teach??


I believe 5 passages meets your standard.


Did. Now, it's your turn to explain exactly what the 5 passages DO teach, or how they are profitable, since the Bible also says this:

ALL Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness

Or, if not being profitable for teaching, then which specific category does each of the 5 passages fit into?


The ball's in your court.

I await an explanation of what the 5 passages above are profitable for, if not teaching eternal security.

What a gracious gift to this thread!!! Thanks!!!

 

[Winken]

As I was saying, many of you chose "A", advocating putting your faith in your works to save you, rather than putting your faith in Christ to save you.

As for the parable of the unforgiving servant, it speaks nothing of "faith". Doesn't use the word "faith". Doesn't use the word "believe". Nor does it speak of regneration (being born of God). Rather it's one of his many parables about false brethren.

While you attempt to read salvation by works into the parable, what the Bible EXPLICITLY says of those who have been born of God is,

"No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother." 1John 3:9,10
​

What I do is interrpet what the Scriptures may imply, like in the parables or historical sections like Acts, in light of what the Scriptures EXPLICITY say, as in this case, the wicked servant had not been born of God and as such was never under the New Covenant. Such was the case for everyone prior to Acts 2 when the New Covenant came to be in effect.

Those who have put their faith in Christ to save them don't worry about condemnation, seeing as "there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus". and Jesus said, " whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life." They have eternal security guaranteed, which is part of what it means to believe the gospel.

"And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance" Eph 1:13,14

"Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. .. Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come." 1Cor 5:1,5​

The Neo-Circumcision don't believe the gospel, reject the grace of God (in fact view the grace of God as a license to sin) and opt for putting their faith in their works to qualify them for salvation. (Which is the curse of the Law) There's no basis for a confident hope and joy characteristic of those born of God that they will go to heaven, seeing as for them they could lose their salvation status at any moment and ending up in hell fire, contrary to the attitude spoken throughout Paul's epistles, such as above, of the fate of those who have believed the gospel.

And while you Neo-Circumcision types would point out all the verses correlating salvation and behavior, you neglect to interpret such in light of the New Covenant promise as I've pointed out above. Sheep behave as sheep because they are sheep. But a dog goes back to its vomit.

YEA!! Light has come to this thread!!

 

[EmSw]

This is what the Bible says:
The gifts of God are irrevocable. Rom 11:29
Eternal life is a gift of God. Rom 6:23

Paul NEVER added any exceptions to the statement in 11:29. Therefore, the conclusion is that Rom 11:29 refers to ALL of God's gifts. There is no other possibility.

You need to read all of Romans 11, and then tell us what gift is Paul speaking of.

 

[Winken]

I


According to Matthew 18:21-35, there is nothing we can do to pay our own debt or to earn Messiah's payment of our debt on our behalf, but there are things that can cause our debt to be reinstated, namely unforgiveness and unrepentance. Messiah stated that if we do not forgive others, then we will not be forgiven (Matthew 6:15), so unforgiveness and unrepentance are unpardonable sins because they cut us off from the very means from which we can obtain forgiveness and repentance, but they do not prevent us from turning back to forgiveness and repentance.

I'm surprised by this comment. Soyeong writes soooooooo well, but, I think it is the source of all the disagreements in this thread. Unforgiveness and unrepentance are unpardonable sins? Hello? They are unpardonable but they can become pardoned? Folks, there is only one unpardonable sin: rejecting Jesus as Messiah in Matthew, and failing to confess Him as Savior by Grace through Faith for the whole of humanity thereafter. Jesus sent Saul to become the Apostle Paul for that very purpose. "Rightly dividing the Word of Truth"* places all the pieces of the "puzzle" in place. Who does that? The Holy Spirit.

*2 Timothy 2:15, KJV, HCSB

 

[FreeGrace2]

You need to read all of Romans 11, and then tell us what gift is Paul speaking of.

Or rather, just from the 11th chapter, please cite any verse other than v.29 that specifically uses the word "charis", which is translated 'grace' in v.29.

Or, I can save a lot of time by noting the fact that between Rom 6:23 and Rom 11:29, there are NO verses that speak of "gift" in ANY context.

Therefore, since Paul never modified ANY gifts in 11:29 we know that he meant ALL of God's gifts. Plus, there are NO verses anywhere in the Bible that speaks of any of God's gifts that can be removed, taken away, revoked, etc.

One more thing: Nowhere in Scripture is anything given to the Jews described as a gift of God. If there were, I would have been told by now. I've sure been asking enough.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Brother are you a sinner? A sinner is someone who commits sin. By your answer, I will know which Spirit I am dealing with. So, please answer my question, are you a sinner?

Before we begin: You are implying that if I do not act in the correct way as you suggest (Which is dealing with the concept of morality) you are making it sound like I may not be acting on the behalf of God. If this is true, then that means you do believe wrong behavior is an indication that one is of the devil (1 John 3:8). In other words, if this is what you are saying, then you cannot borrow morality when it suits your purposes. You are either totally against morality and the goodness of God or you are for it. For how can one serve their sin (and themselves) and yet also serve God? Jesus says you cannot serve two masters, for you will hate the one and love the other (Matthew 6:24).

In fact, if one believes that they are a sinner, will they not act like a sinner and have the attitude of a sinner? However, if one believes they are a saint, will they not be more partial to act like a saint? Granted, I am not saying one can be a saint or live holy without the transforming regenerative power of God. But if one thinks they are a sinner by saying that their fellow brother is one (with no real evidence), then that means they are saying they are a sinner, too. This is a big problem because saints are to live righteously and not sinfully. Yes, a believer may commit hidden or secret faults (Psalms 19:12), but this is not the same as committing willful grevious sin (like lying, murder, and theft) whereby there remains no more sacrifice for sin (Hebrews 10:26).

First, nowhere in Scripture does it say that faithful believers in Jesus Christ are called sinners in the present tense. Sure, I know of a few verses that you can no doubt misinterpret (or misread) whereby you might think it says that, but it would not be supported by the context and the rest of Scripture. Second, when a person is born again they are a new creature in Christ and the old man and the old things of their life have passed away (2 Corinthians 5:17) (Ephesians 2:2-3). This old life that has past away would include one living in a life style of sin. Jesus says be ye perfect as the Heavenly Father is perfect (Matthew 5:48). How can you be a sinner and also perfect? Doesn't make any sense. Also, Jesus told the man (he healed) to sin no more. In fact, Jesus said if he were to sin again, a worse thing were to come upon him (John 5:14). Now, if Jesus believed that this man could not stop sinning as you propose (because nobody can stop sinning - hence in your view everyone is a sinner), then Jesus would have in effect be lying to this man or He would have been playing a cruel joke on him. Also, the 144,000 were found without fault before the throne of God (Revelation 14:3-5).

But to answer your question: Am I a sinner?

The Bible says that I am righteous if I live righteously (See 1 John 3:7). The Bible tells me to walk after the Spirit and not after the flesh (Romans 8:1). Seeing I do these things, I am not a sinner day in and day out. Sin does not control my life. God and His good things control my life. I focus on the good things of God and not sin (like I used to). Also, God's grace is there for us to be cleansed, too. Not as a license for us to sin, but His grace is there for us to overcome sin and or to be cleansed if we may stumble on occasion. Oh, and when I mean stumble, it is not an ongoing state of stumbling.

For example: Is an ex alcoholic who stumbled (on rare occasions) on his road to recovery in being sober mean he is still an alcoholic? Surely not. If one has been reformed, their past does not determine their future. Especially if God forgives our past sins that we confess and forsake.

Now, you are probably thinking,

"Ah ha, I got you!
You said that you do not commit sins unto death but you said nothing about sins that do not lead unto death." ​

That is because the type of sin that does not lead unto death is NOT in view when Jesus, Paul, and others are talking about "sinners." Also, 1 John 5:16-18 is ultimately talking about confessed sin and not hidden or secret faults (Although it can be expanded to include them - But in this case, they are minor faults and not "grevious sin" (like murder, etc.) that would define a person as a "sinner." However, if you are a stickler for words, you have to realize that the Bible also does have homonyms within it; In other words, just because there are words that have the same name does not mean they are talking about the same exact thing; For example: The name or words "sons of God" can refer to both angels and believers).

In any event, I hope this helps.
May God's love shine upon you.
And please be well.


....

 

[EmSw]

Or rather, just from the 11th chapter, please cite any verse other than v.29 that specifically uses the word "charis", which is translated 'grace' in v.29.

Or, I can save a lot of time by noting the fact that between Rom 6:23 and Rom 11:29, there are NO verses that speak of "gift" in ANY context.

Therefore, since Paul never modified ANY gifts in 11:29 we know that he meant ALL of God's gifts. Plus, there are NO verses anywhere in the Bible that speaks of any of God's gifts that can be removed, taken away, revoked, etc.

One more thing: Nowhere in Scripture is anything given to the Jews described as a gift of God. If there were, I would have been told by now. I've sure been asking enough.

So, what is the context of Romans 11? Are you just pulling passages out of context to confirm your belief?

Let me take a passage out of context, and I will make a doctrine out of it.

Matthew 23:33
Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?

FG2, can't you see that you are a viper? How will you escape the damnation of hell, FG2?

 

[Winken]

Before we begin: You are implying that if I do not act in the correct way as you suggest (Which is dealing with the concept of morality) you are making it sound like I may not be acting on the behalf of God. If this is true, then that means you do believe wrong behavior is an indication that one is of the devil (1 John 3:8). In other words, if this is what you are saying, then you cannot borrow morality when it suits your purposes. You are either totally against morality and the goodness of God or you are for it. For how can one serve their sin (and themselves) and yet also serve God? Jesus says you cannot serve two masters, for you will hate the one and love the other (Matthew 6:24).

In fact, if one believes that they are a sinner won’t they act like sinner and have the attitude of a sinner? However, if one believes they are a saint, won’t they be more partial to act like a saint? Granted, I am not saying one can be a saint or live holy without the transforming regenerative power of God. But if one thinks they are a sinner by saying that their fellow brother is one (with no real evidence), then that means they are saying they are a sinner, too. This is a big problem because saints are to live righteously and not sinfully. Yes, a believer may commit hidden or secret faults (Psalms 19:12), but this is not the same as willful sin (after having received the knowledge of the truth) there remains no more sacrifice for sins (Hebrews 10:26).

First, nowhere in Scripture does it say that faithful believers in Jesus Christ are called sinners in the present tense. Sure, I know of a few verses that you can no doubt misinterpret (or misread) whereby you might think it says that, but it would not be supported by the context and the rest of Scripture. Second, when a person is born again they are a new creature in Christ and the old man and the old things of their life have passed away (2 Corinthians 5:17) (Ephesians 2:2-3). This old life that has past away would include one living in a life style of sin. Jesus says be ye perfect as the Heavenly Father is perfect (Matthew 5:48). How can you be a sinner and also perfect? Doesn't make any sense. Also, Jesus told the man (he healed) to sin no more. In fact, Jesus said if he were to sin again, a worse thing were to come upon him (John 5:14). Now, if Jesus believed that this man could not stop sinning as you propose (because nobody can stop sinning - hence in your view everyone is a sinner), then Jesus would have in effect be lying to this man or He would have been playing a cruel joke on him. Also, the 144,000 were found without fault before the throne of God (Revelation 14:3-5).

But to answer your question: Am I a sinner?

The Bible says that I am righteous if I live righteously (See 1 John 3:7). The Bible tells me to walk after the Spirit and not after the flesh (Romans 8:1). Seeing I do these things, I am not a sinner day in and day out. Sin does not control my life. God and His good things control my life. I focus on the good things of God and not sin (like I used to). Also, God's grace is there for us to be cleansed, too. Not as a license for us to sin, but His grace is there for us to overcome sin and or to be cleansed if we may stumble on occasion.

For example: Is an ex alcoholic who stumbled (on rare occasions) on his road to recovery in being sober mean he is still an alcoholic? Surely not. If one has been reformed, their past does not determine their future. Especially if God forgives our past sins that we confess and forsake.

Now, you are probably thinking,

"Ah ha, I got you!
You said that you do not commit sins unto death but you said nothing about sins that do not lead unto death." ​

That is because the type of sin that does not lead unto death is NOT in view when Jesus, Paul, and others are talking about "sinners." Also, 1 John 5:16-18 is ultimately talking about confessed sin and not hidden or secret faults (Although it can be expanded to include them - But in this case, they are minor faults and not "sin" that would define a person as a "sinner." However, if you are a stickler for words, you have to realize that the Bible also does have homonyms within it).

In any event, I hope this helps.
May God's love shine upon you.
And please be well.


....

WOW, Jason! "Almost thou persuadeth me!" So well written, coming very close to OSAS. (Sorry, just couldn't resist). There are a couple of nuggets in there that need to be pointed out:

Matthew 5:48 ~ ~ ~ As is all of the Book of Matthew, written to Jews. There were no Spiritually Birthed Christians at that point (John 3:3).

Hebrews 10:26 ~ ~ ~ This passage is not speaking of a Christian Believer who falls away, but rather to Jews who apostatize after "coming close" to receiving Jesus as Savior. One who "backs away" after "coming close", Jew or non-Jew, wasn't stepping out in Faith to begin with, as is pointed out in your cite, 1 John 2:19.

Gotta go ....... our puppy comes to get me when I don't get into bed at the appropriate time.......

 

[Soyeong]

I'm surprised by this comment. Soyeong writes soooooooo well, but, I think it is the source of all the disagreements in this thread.

Thank you, though I am still not exactly sure what you think the source of all of our disagreement is.

Unforgiveness and unrepentance are unpardonable sins? Hello? They are unpardonable but they can become pardoned?

God will not ever pardon us if we don't forgive others, so it seems straightforward to me that that is an unpardonable sin, but that is a conditional statement, so it is not a sin that we have to continue committing. In other words I understand being in an unpardonable state as not something that is permanent, but rather as a state from which we can't be pardoned from as long as we are in it. This also seems to me more consistent with what is said about repentance elsewhere in Scripture, such as 1 John 1:9. However, even if I am wrong about this distinction, I don't see how anything else that I've said is based on this particular point or how it could be the source of all of our disagreement.

Folks, there is only one unpardonable sin: rejecting Jesus as Messiah in Matthew, and failing to confess Him as Savior by Grace through Faith for the whole of humanity thereafter. Jesus sent Saul to become the Apostle Paul for that very purpose. "Rightly dividing the Word of Truth"* places all the pieces of the "puzzle" in place. Who does that? The Holy Spirit.

*2 Timothy 2:15, KJV, HCSB

If you break down what it means to confess Jesus as Savior and what he is saving us from doing, then I think we're both saying similar things. You can not confess Jesus as Savior from our sins and be in a state of unrepentance from our sins and unforgiveness.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

WOW, Jason! "Almost thou persuadeth me!" So well written, coming very close to OSAS. (Sorry, just couldn't resist). There are a couple of nuggets in there that need to be pointed out:

Matthew 5:48 ~ ~ ~ As is all of the Book of Matthew, written to Jews. There were no Spiritually Birthed Christians at that point (John 3:3).

Hebrews 10:26 ~ ~ ~ This passage is not speaking of a Christian Believer who falls away, but rather to Jews who apostatize after "coming close" to receiving Jesus as Savior. One who "backs away" after "coming close", Jew or non-Jew, wasn't stepping out in Faith to begin with, as is pointed out in your cite, 1 John 2:19.

Gotta go ....... our puppy comes to get me when I don't get into bed at the appropriate time.......

There is no difference between the Jew and the Greek. We are all one in Christ under the New Covenant or New Testament. So there is no... this book is for these people and this letter is for these folk. Besides, even if one were to do so, one has to still do mega gymnastic flips with the verses also in Romans, Ephesians, Galatians, Corinthians, etc.


...

 

[FreeGrace2]

But to answer your question: Am I a sinner?

The Bible says that I am righteous if I live righteously (See 1 John 3:7). The Bible tells me to walk after the Spirit and not after the flesh (Romans 8:1). Seeing I do these things, I am not a sinner day in and day out. Sin does not control my life. God and His good things control my life. I focus on the good things of God and not sin (like I used to).

Still seems a strong unwillingness to admit that one IS a sinner. All humans have a sin nature. It's also a corrupted nature. All humans are sinners. Just admit it.

In any event, I hope this helps.

It's always interesting to see your views.

 

[FreeGrace2]

So, what is the context of Romans 11? Are you just pulling passages out of context to confirm your belief?

Why can't you respond to what I posted? Why do you always just try to talk over me?

The context of ch 11 is immaterial to the blanket statement in v.29, which I proved by the fact that Paul NEVER used the word 'gift' between 6:23 and 11:29. So the context for 11:29 is found in WHERE EVER Paul described God's gifts. But your extreme theological gymnastics just don't work in trying to disassociate 6:23 from 11:29.

Let me take a passage out of context, and I will make a doctrine out of it.

You're free to do whatever you'd like.

Matthew 23:33
Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?

FG2, can't you see that you are a viper? How will you escape the damnation of hell, FG2?

How does any of this make any rational sense? Where would anyone get that they are a "viper" from this verse? Jesus wasn't speaking to me in that verse. He was speaking to unbelieving Pharisees. And I'm neither an unbeliever nor a Pharisee.

So, anyhoo, what's the so-called 'doctrine' that you just made up? I fail to see it.

However, all that is just a distraction to the real problem with your view. While trying to disassociate 11:29 from 6:23, your claim is that 11:29 only applies to ch 11.

OK, so if that were true, where in THAT chapter did Paul mention ANY "gifts" to the Jews?

Now, please answer THAT question. If you can.

If you can't, there is a big black hole in your theology.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Still seems a strong unwillingness to admit that one IS a sinner. All humans have a sin nature. It's also a corrupted nature. All humans are sinners. Just admit it.


It's always interesting to see your views.

You can't be both a saint and a sinner at the same time. Read 1 John 3:7-8 and Romans 2:6-8, John 3:19-21, 1 John 2:3-6.


...

 

[FreeGrace2]

You can't be both a saint and a sinner at the same time.

Ha. All saints are justified sinners. Please define what the word "saint" means.

Read 1 John 3:7-8 and Romans 2:6-8, John 3:19-21, 1 John 2:3-6....

Like I said...

 

[Thursday]

As I understand it the LOS crowd are of the opinion that one's potential to be saved is contingent upon one's ongoing performance. Falling short of that performance one loses their potential to be saved and have to gain it back again through confession and the pledge to change one's behavior.

I've seen a bit of diversity among the LOS types as to what constitutes falling short. The Catholics, for example distinguish between "venial" sins, as they define them, which bring the consequence of purgatorial suffering, and "mortal" sins which bring eternal condemnation in hell fire. And I've seen those of the Charles Finney holiness type of soteriology whereby any sin will cause one to lose their potential to be saved.

It's those in particular I would question as to how that is actually lived out. But other LOS run into the same issue.

Namely if, for example, at a point in time you envy your neighbor's property, and thus sin and as such lose your potential to be saved, but you forget that you sinned and consequently end up not confessing it, doesn't that make any such sins as you overlook, unpardonable sins, seeing as no confession follows?

Or is it that such people hold that one is only accountable for sins of which they "feel" guilty for?

A man reaps what he sows.

Romans 2'
6God will repay each person according to what they have done. 7To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. 8But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.

 

[FreeGrace2]

A man reaps what he sows.

Romans 2'
6God will repay each person according to what they have done. 7To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. 8But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.

Great verse! But what does it mean to you?

Just quoting a verse without comment isn't helpful to any discussion. In order to have a discussion, one must understand how the quoter understands the verse he quotes.

 

[Thursday]

Great verse! But what does it mean to you?

Just quoting a verse without comment isn't helpful to any discussion. In order to have a discussion, one must understand how the quoter understands the verse he quotes.

The verse is quite clear, unless you don't believe what it says, then it is quite confusing.

We will judged for our actions on earth. Those who persist in doing good will be given eternal life.

 

[Gabriel Anton]

Peace be with you.

Salvation through Jesus Christ is by Covenant. In any contract, it is assumed that both parties will act in good faith towards one another and abide by the terms of the contract. If one party proves unfaithful to the terms of the contract, the party who is not at fault has the right to enact clauses in the contract to indemnify themselves.

In God's case as He is Always Holy, Righteous, True, Faithful and Perfect, the party at fault is Always mortal man. God Always reserves the right to forsake the unfaithful party and condemn him or her to eternal death if the unfaithful party does not observe the terms of the contract.


Matthew C26
27 Then he took a cup, gave thanks,[p] and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you, 28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins.


covenant
ˈkʌv(ə)nənt/
noun
plural noun: covenants

1. 1.
   an agreement.
   "there was a covenant between them that her name was never to be mentioned"
   synonyms: contract, compact, treaty,pact, accord, deal, bargain,settlement, concordat,protocol, entente,agreement, arrangement,understanding, pledge,promise, bond, indenture,guarantee, warrant; More
   undertaking, commitment
   "there is a landlord's covenant to repair the property"
   • LAW
     a formal agreement, contract, or promise in writing, especially one undertaking to make regular payments to a charity.
     synonyms: contract, compact, treaty,pact, accord, deal,bargain, settlement,concordat, protocol,entente, agreement,arrangement,understanding, pledge,promise, bond, indenture,guarantee, warrant; More
     undertaking, commitment
     "there is a landlord's covenant to repair the property"
   • LAW
     a clause in a contract drawn up by deed.
   • THEOLOGY
     an agreement which brings about a relationship of commitment between God and his people. The Jewish faith is based on the biblical covenants made with Abraham, Moses, and David.

God bless you.

 

[bcbsr]

A man reaps what he sows.

Romans 2'
6God will repay each person according to what they have done. 7To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. 8But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.

But Paul goes on to indicate in Romans 3 that there is no one who is persistent in doing good. And so he presents the good new starting in Romans 3:21

21 But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.
22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference,
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

Rom 2:6 is referring the righteousness of the law, which is the same kind of righteousness advocated by those of the Neo-Circumcision, namely a performance based righteousness. Such people don't embrace the concept of the gospel of grace whereby one is justified by faith APART FROM WORKS. (Rom 4:4-8)

 

[Thursday]

But Paul goes on to indicate in Romans 3 that there is no one who is persistent in doing good. And so he presents the good new starting in Romans 3:21

21 But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.
22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference,
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

Rom 2:6 is referring the righteousness of the law, which is the same kind of righteousness advocated by those of the Neo-Circumcision, namely a performance based righteousness. Such people don't embrace the concept of the gospel of grace whereby one is justified by faith APART FROM WORKS. (Rom 4:4-8)

We can't please God without the free gift of his grace. We are powerless without him. However, with him we can do anything. We must strive for holiness, and when we fall, we must confess our sins.